New online school scholarship launches in South Africa – how to apply

UCT Online High School has launched a new scholarship programme in South Africa, which it will be offering to 500 prospective students from Grades 8 to 11 for the 2024 academic year.

The school said the country’s current education system is inadequate due to insufficient teachers, limited infrastructure, and inadequate resources.

In addition, despite UCT Online High School saying it is one of the most affordable private schools in South Africa, roughly 80% of South Africans still cannot afford the fees.

With this in mind, several corporate and philanthropic partners are working with the school to launch the UCT Online High School Learning Liberated Scholarship Programme.

The programme will offer 500 partial scholarships for learners in grades 8 to 11 for January 2024 for students who may not have been able to afford the school’s fees.

“This approach allows for more efficient distribution of financial aid, supporting a larger number of learners with available funds. Additionally, funding through donations and philanthropy increases support for the programme, as donors can see their tangible impact on multiple learners,” the school said.

“Partial scholarships also foster a sense of commitment among recipients to maintain academic performance, leading to higher success rates. Furthermore, this financial assistance helps learners and their families manage rising education costs.”

Applications for the scholarships will open on 4 September 2023 and close on 31 October 2023.

Applications will be reviewed for shortlisting on November 2023, and recipients of the scholarship will be notified in early December 2023.

To be accepted into the programme, the candidate must meet the following eligibility criteria:

1. Is a South African citizen residing in South Africa
2. Interested in completing a National Senior Certificate
3. Age appropriate for entry into grades 8-11
4. Achieved 70% and above in English Home Language and Mathematics.
5. In financial need (combined annual household income cannot exceed R350,000 per year)
6. Tertiary dedication and career aspirations after high school, and must submit an ‘Aspirations & Academic Journey Letter
7. An enabling learning environment (laptop, internet access, printer, earphones, and a UPS device)
8. Has at least 1 adult champion/supervisor to support their online education experience
9. Submit an ‘An Applicant Reference Letter‘ from their current school
10. Successfully complete a ‘Scholarship Application Assessment’
11. Submit all required documents

Read: Online school mess in South Africa – what to look out for